What Are the Causes of Serpentine Belt Squeal & Slippage?
What is a Serpentine Belt? The serpentine, or S-belt, is a single rubber belt that snakes its way through a series of pulleys attached to the engine of a car. The belt is driven by the engine and provides power to all of a car’s systems and accessories, including the alternator (which keeps the battery charged), the water pump (which prevents the engine from overheating), and the air conditioner. When the serpentine belt fails, a car won’t go anywhere. Squealing Serpentine Belt A serpentine belt squeals when it is slipping or moving back and forth on the pulleys that it snakes through. This can be caused by glazing, where the belt’s grooves, which hold the belt in place as it cycles over its pulleys, are worn away. You can fix this problem temporarily by taking the belt out and putting it in inside out. However, a glazed serpentine belt is on its way to bigger problems. It might start to fray or crack. Once this happens, it is only a matter of time before it breaks, leaving a driver st
